BT to enforce smoking ban from March

Telecoms giant BT is to ban smoking in all its buildings and vehicles in the UK from next month.

It is believed to be the biggest British company to announce such a sweeping change of policy.

The ban comes into force more than a year ahead of laws outlawing smoking in pubs and other buildings in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

The company, which employs 85,000 people in the UK, starts its ban on 26 March – the same day the smoking ban begins in Scotland.

The telecoms giant believes one-third of its workforce regularly smoke. It will also be launching a campaign to help smoking workers quit. And some shelters will remain outside buildings for those who still want to smoke.

Last year, BT launched the UK’s biggest workplace health programme after it emerged that one employee dies every two weeks from a heart-related illness.